Halo-Suppressed Image Sharpening With Texture Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging systems, particularly in mobile devices, suffer from halo artifacts and texture loss when attempting to enhance sharpness, leading to unnatural final images.
Innovation Solution
Generate an edge enhancement mask and a gain mask based on the input image, and use these masks to create a halo-suppressed edge mask, which is applied to the input image to generate a sharpened image that preserves texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image processing operations are performed to enhance sharpness, then the sharpness of the final image is improved, but halo artifacts are created making the image appear unnatural
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces masks (edge mask, suppression mask, gain mask) as intermediary elements that mediate between the original image and the sharpened output. These masks selectively apply sharpening only where appropriate, preventing halo artifacts while maintaining edge definition. The edge mask identifies edge locations, the suppression mask prevents sharpening in non-edge areas, and the gain mask controls the strength of sharpening applied.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If halo artifacts are reduced through processing, then the natural appearance of the image is improved, but texture details are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing characteristics to different regions of the image through spatially varying masks. The gain mask provides local control over sharpening strength, allowing aggressive sharpening at edges while applying minimal or no sharpening in smooth regions. This local differentiation preserves texture details while preventing halo formation in appropriate areas.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If additional processing operations are added to suppress halos, then the natural appearance is improved, but the complexity of the image processing pipeline increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into distinct functional components: edge detection to create the edge mask, suppression mask generation to identify areas where sharpening should be reduced, and gain mask creation to control sharpening strength. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to suppress halos effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining, using at least one processing device of an electronic device, an input image containing blur. The method also includes generating, using the at least one processing device, an edge enhancement mask and a gain mask based on the input image. The method further includes generating, using the at least one processing device, a halo-suppressed edge mask based on the edge enhancement mask and the gain mask. In addition, the method includes generating, using the at least one processing device, a sharpened image based on the input image and the halo-suppressed edge mask.